President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has begun implementing a four-day workweek in certain government offices starting March 9, 2026, as part of efforts to conserve energy amid rising fuel costs linked to tensions in the Middle East. The measure currently applies to non-essential offices in the executive branch, while emergency and frontline services continue their regular schedules.
Photo: LYCS Architecture/Unsplash
Discussions are ongoing about whether the scheme could be expanded more broadly, including alternative arrangements for private sector workers. But what exactly does a four-day workweek involve, and how could it affect Filipino employees?
What is the four-day workweek proposal?
The idea is to compress the standard 40-hour workweek into four days instead of five. Employees would work longer days, typically 10 hours instead of the usual eight, to keep total weekly hours the same.
This approach is sometimes called a compressed workweek, and it can also include expanded work-from-home arrangements to reduce commuting and energy use.
How the proposal came about
The idea is not entirely new. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian had suggested compressing five workdays into four or expanding telecommuting to ease the burden of rising fuel costs.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Chua had also pitched a similar plan to former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, proposing four 10-hour days for employees while keeping the weekly total at 40 hours.
While this approach did not take off nationally, some local governments, such as Iloilo City, have experimented with it.
Potential benefits and challenges
Studies from other countries suggest that a compressed schedule can offer several advantages. Employees may experience improved work-life balance, less commuting, and fewer absences. Companies, in turn, could see stable or even higher productivity while reducing operational costs.
However, experts caution that implementing a four-day workweek in the Philippines may not be straightforward. Some Filipino workers continue to handle tasks outside official office hours, particularly in remote or hybrid setups. Without clear boundaries, a “day off” may not feel truly free from work. Long commutes and extended office hours could also make the longer days exhausting rather than relieving.
Mendiola Teng-Calleja, executive director of Ateneo’s Center for Organization Research and Development, emphasizes that consultation with employees and careful planning are essential. She notes that work distribution, scheduling, and respect for downtime must be addressed before a compressed workweek can be successful.
Why it matters
The proposal highlights ongoing conversations about Filipino work culture. Some employees often extend their workday, check emails on weekends, or attend meetings outside official hours—practices that contrast with countries like France, Germany, and the Netherlands, which have stricter work-hour regulations.
France enforces a 35-hour workweek with strict overtime rules, while both France and Germany have implemented “right to disconnect” laws limiting after-hours emails and calls. The Netherlands also regulates work hours tightly, with average workweeks often around 30–35 hours.
Without accompanying shifts in organizational norms or cultural expectations, such as clearer boundaries around working time, a shorter workweek may not automatically lead to more rest or improved work-life balance.
Research on telework has noted that flexible arrangements can blur the line between work and personal time when boundaries are not clearly defined.
The bottom line
A four-day workweek in the Philippines remains under study. While it has the potential to conserve energy and provide more flexibility for employees, experts stress that success depends on proper planning, consultation, and adjustments to existing work norms.
Until those factors are addressed, a shorter week could end up feeling just as long—or even longer—for some workers.
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